Managing Process & Product Innovation Course Mkt 3640

10 AM Monday and Thursday morning March 14, - May 2 2016

NOTE: NO CLASS ON Monday April 18 or THURSDAY April 21. INSTEAD a single
CLASS WILL BE ON TUESDAY April 19...Same time and place

Prof. Maxwell R. Morton 508 785 2559

Introduction
This course is intended to provide you with insights into the innovation process, as well as
managing the process and the people responsible for creating and implementing both the ideas
and the process (i.e., you in a few years). The focus will be on technology innovation in large and
small organizations. The course will consist of readings from the assigned text plus additional
articles, business schools cases assigned in the syllabus, class lectures, invited speakers, and a
term project. Analysis of business cases is an important part of the course. Thoughtful class
participation is strongly encouraged- we can all learn from each other.
The semester will be cover eight (8) broad topics not necessarily in this order:
Introduction/Background
Idea Generation
Opportunity Recognition
Evaluating Opportunities
Commercialization (Developing & Moving Innovations to Market)
Understanding and Managing Intellectual Property (IP)
Managing the People (the Culture, Teams)
Managing the Innovation Process
We will certainly try to provide opportunities for you to bring up innovation related topics not
specifically mentioned in the texts or syllabus. Comments and suggestions are welcome
throughout the course. The goal is to make the course as useful and interesting to you as possible

Communications
I will be happy to talk with any student on the telephone or meet with them in person at a
mutually convenient time and place. I can be reached via telephone at 508 785 2559 and by
email at mrm@wpi.edu or mrm@grayhead.com

Assigned Texts
The Art of Innovation by Tom Kelley with Jonathan Littman; 2001
How to Read a Financial Report by Merrill Lynch - Downloadable as a PDF.
This booklet is useful for those who are unfamiliar with, or would like a refresher on, various
financial terms or statements (e.g. Profit & Loss; Balance Sheet; Cash Flow). It is not a required
text.

Grading
Term Project
Case Presentations in Class
General Class participation
Written case analysis handed in prior to class discussion

25%
25%
25%
25%

( 3 written cases required 2 handed in by April 14)

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PLEASE NOTE: All written submission (other than PPT presentations) should be DOUBLESPACED -12-point type. Page limitations should be strictly adhered to; however, if useful and
appropriate, exhibits (e.g., pictures, calculations, references) may be added at end and not be
included in the page count. Electronic submissions are fine but a printed copy is also required
prior to discussion of the case in class.

Case Write-ups
Case write-ups should not exceed 5 double spaced pages excluding exhibits, if any. The case
write-up should be an actionable document with some specific recommendations backed up by
your reasoning and analysis - NOT just a rehash of the case facts or story. You must select two
(2) cases from the 1st two thirds of the semester (classes 2 9) and one from the last third (classes
10-13). Case write-ups must be submitted prior to, or at the beginning of, the class in which they
will be discussed. They should be submitted both electronically and in a hard copy. If I provide
Discussion questions/Thought starters for any case they are intended as a stimulus to your
thinking and the class discussion not necessarily the only important issues or parts of the case.

Oral Presentations & Discussion of Cases in Class

The class will be divided into work/study Teams to analyze and prepare discussions of each case.
The instructor will select two Teams at random on the day the case is scheduled to be discussed in
class; one team will verbally present a brief background of the case and a resolution of the major
issues raised by the case; the second Team will comment on the first Teams analysis, raise any
additional issues not covered by the first Team and also provide any new or different resolutions
to the issues. Each Team will have 10 minutes. (Use of PPT slides is not necessary . Use of the
white board for sketches or to emphasize points is fine). After the second Team has completed
their analysis the discussion will be opened for additional input by the entire class.

Term Project
The term project will also be a Team effort. At the end of the semester (on or before Monday May
2) each Team will submit a 20-page project report (double spaced; 12 point type) and make a 15
to 20 minute PPT presentation to the class. Potential topics for the term project is described
below or, with my approval may be something of particular interest to a Team.
A) For a specific innovation initiative (successful or not) within a company of your choice-:
Describe:
The initiative (so that an intelligent laymen is likely to understand it),
Its origins and time frame
The outcome (if it is still a work in progress tell us the progress to date).
Provide:
The criteria used to determine success or failure
An in- depth analysis of the elements that contributed to the success or failure of the
initiative
A sense of the importance of each element
Tell us what you would do differently to improve the initiative even if it was successful - and
why. Based on the selected companys mission, strategy and goals, do you think this innovation
initiative should have been included in the overall innovation portfolio - why; why not? Also
tells us what you think can be generalized from this example to help improve the overall
innovation process in your selected company.
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Note: Although the description of the innovation etc is necessary to understand what is going
on, the most important parts of the project are your analysis and recommendations.
B) Compare and contrast the innovation process for at least 2 different companies of your choice
Describe:

Provide:

Each of the selected companies and their industry BRIEFLY

The overall innovation process at each company; and the major differences and
similarities
Your analysis of the individuals companys process including but not limited to:
o Suitability for the company;
o Why you think the processes are similar/same or different
o Reasons/evidence for your opinion/analysis
Recommendations for changing/improving the process in each company, again with
reasons

C) Your choice with my approval. Possible examples include:

Innovation - similarities/differences Country A Vs Country B
Innovation process Small Vs Large Companies
Innovation process Public Vs Private Company; an/or Profit Vs Non-Profit
The CEOs role in fostering/hindering Innovation
The Board of Directors role in fostering/hindering innovation
Others

Term Project Time Line Requirements

1. Class 1(March 14) - Form groups/teams in class
2. Class 3 (March 21) - Select topic/prepare/submit double spaced outline (2 pages MAX) and
deliver a 30 second to 1 minute MAX Elevator Speech describing your project to the class
3. Submit interim progress review no later than Class 8 double-spaced 4 pages MAX plus
deliver a 5 to 10 minute verbal/PPT update during Class 8 or 9 (April 7 or April 11).
4. Final written report due by Class 14 (May 2)
5. Class presentations dates ...to be discussed

It is expected that, to the greatest degree possible, you will use primary research, (i.e.,
actual documents or interviews with company participants) as well as secondary research
(e.g., books, articles, etc.). You should always provide information as to your source
(unless individual confidentiality has been requested)

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SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNMENTS

#1 March 14, 2016 Introduction/Backgrounds etc

Reading
Texts - Kelley Ch 1
How to Read a Financial Report Merrill Lynch
Not required Scan overall content if you are unfamiliar with Financial
Statements or need a refresher. It is a very helpful little pamphlet.

Articles
Managing Technology Development Projects*
What Leading Companies Are Doing to Reinvent Their NPD Processes*
* Note: Both of these articles are available (as numbers 25 & 34 respectively) on Stagegate.com, the web site of Stage-Gate International & Product Development Institute
Form Case and Term Project Teams

#2 March 17; - Discovery/Ideation/Idea Generation

Case Innovation at 3M Corp. - A HBS 699012
Kelley Ch 2

#3 March 21; Discovery/Ideation/Idea Generation cont.

Hand in Term Project Initial Idea Write ups & deliver 30 second/ 1 minute
Elevator Speech to Class
Case Innovation at 3M Corp. -B HBS 699013
Reading - Kelley Ch 3 & 4
Article - 3Ms Innovation Renewal - Fortune Sept 27 2010

#4 March 24; Intellectual Property Protection (IP) & Preparing the

Business Case
Case Merck & Company Evaluating a Licensing Opportunity - HBS 9201023
Reading No book chapter assigned
Article/PPT
Intellectual Property - Jacob (Jessie) N. Erlich, Esq./MRM - from Professor
Preparing Business Case - from Professor
Negotiation Basics from Professor
Form Negotiating Teams in preparation for next class
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#5 March 28; Negotiation

Case Merck & Company Evaluating a Licensing Opportunity - HBS 9201023
You will be negotiating a license for /with Merck based on the information in the Case covered in
the previous class

#6 March 31- Culture

Case WL Gore- Culture of Innovation BAB 698 April 2012
Reading Kelley Ch 7, 11 & 12
Articles
Connect & Develop: Inside P&Gs New Model for Innovation - RO603C
P&G - Teaching and Old Dog New Tricks
A Better Way to Innovate - Henry Chesbrough
The New Business Logic of Open Innovation Henry Chesbrough
Thats Easy for You to Say Lucien Rhodes -ww.inc.com/magazine/19860601/6439

#7 April 4; - The Team

Case - Medisys Corp: The IntensCare Product Development Team HBS 4059-PDF Eng
Readings
Kelley Ch 5 Hot Teams
Articles
ManagingCreativeProfessionalsbyAlbertShapiroResearchTechnologyManagement,
MarchApril1985
HowtoManageGeeksRussMitchell;FastCompanyMagazine;June1999p174178
HotGroupsbyHaroldJ.LeavittandJeanLipmanBlumen
HarvardBusinessReviewVol.731995,p109116
The Discipline of Teams by Jon R. Katzenbach and Douglas
K. Smith; Harvard Business Review Vol. 17 1993 Pg111- 120
The Innovators DNA by Dyer, Gregersen & Christensen
HBR Dec 2009

#8 April 7; Opportunity Recognition

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Term Project - Interim Progress Review write-up due for entire class + 5 to 10
minute presentation by of class
Case
Corning B -Opportunity Recognition SM 167B (NOTE: This is the B case NOT the A
case
Reading
Text - Kelley Ch 10 Creating Experiences
Article: Opportunity Recognition & Breakthrough Innovation in Large Established Firms
by OConner & Rice- CMR 195

#9 April 11 - Opportunity Evaluation

Term Project - Interim Progress Review 10 minute presentation by of class
Case: Materials Technology Corporation - HBS #694075
Reading
Text - Kelley Ch 6 Prototyping
Articles:
Which Innovation Effort Will Pay? Alexander Kandybin - SMR Fall 2009
The Comeback of Xerox PARC Technology Review Dec. 21 2011
Available on line at technologyreview.com/business December 2011 issue re Disruptive
/Innovation

#10 April 14; Commercialization/Moving to Market

Case: Precision Software Solutions HBS #503064
Reading
Kelley Ch 9 &13
Article - Selection from Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore - Ch 1 page 9-25

# 11 April 19;(This is a Tuesday) Managing the Innovation Process

Case Innovation at Mahindra & Mahindra A - HBS 609065
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Readings
Kelley Ch 8
Articles
Ambidextrous Organization - Tushman & OReilly - HBS # 6581
Institutionalizing Innovation - Scott D. Anthony Mark W Johnson and Joseph V Sinfield
Sloan Management Review Jan 1 2008
Design Thinking - Tim Brown; HBR June 2008; Reprint RO806E

#12 April 25; Managing the Innovation Process cont.

Case Applied Research Technologies, Inc.; Global Innovation Challenge HBS 4168
Reading - Kelley Ch 14
;
Articles
The Empire Strikes Back Scott D Anthony and Clayton M Christensen; Technology
Review, Jan/Feb 2012 pages 66-68
Does P& G Need Product Innovation or Strategic Innovation? By Ken Favaro in Forbes
or at www.strategy-business.com

#13 April 28; Managing Innovation Process

Case - Raphael Development Corp. HBS 602011
Reading - Kelley Ch 15
Articles
Breakthroughs and The Long Tail of Innovation - Lee Fleming; Sloan Management
Review Fall 2007 V.49 No 1 SMR 265
Darwin & The Demon: Innovation within Established Companies: Geoffrey Moore,
Harvard Business Review Reprint RO407F
Which Innovation Effort Will Pay? - Alexander Kandybin; - Sloan Management Review
Fall 2009 V51 No 1 SMR 332 (review again briefly)

#14 May 2 & ????; - Final Project Presentations

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